FIFA President Gianni Infantino has indicated that plans for a 64-team men’s World Cup will be assessed following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup. Infantino stated that the event needs to be inclusive for the entire world, not just Europe and South America.
The proposal for a further expanded tournament was initially put forward last year. Infantino noted the success of the current 48-team format as a reason to explore how a 64-team World Cup could function. He emphasized that every nation should have the aspiration to participate in the World Cup.
Considering further expansion
Infantino highlighted the increasing quality of teams globally. He suggested that denying smaller countries the opportunity to participate could diminish their motivation for improvement. The FIFA council approved the expansion from 32 to 48 teams in 2017, with this change taking effect from the 2026 finals.
The current 48-team World Cup has been described by Infantino as a significant success. He pointed to the progression of nine out of ten African teams to the knockout stages as evidence of the importance of including more teams. In the previous World Cup, only five African teams participated.
A formal proposal to increase the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams was submitted by the South American governing body Conmebol in April 2025. However, no decision has been made regarding this proposal. The 2030 edition is set to be primarily co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the initial three matches taking place in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay to mark the competition’s centenary.
The expansion to 64 teams would mean almost a third of the 211 FIFA-affiliated countries could qualify. Such an expansion could also lead to an increase in revenue distributed to member associations.
Challenges and differing views
The idea of a 64-team World Cup has met with some opposition. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has called the 64-team proposal a “bad idea” for both the tournament itself and the qualification process. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa echoed this sentiment, suggesting that further expansion could lead to “chaos.”
Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, also expressed concerns, stating that the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and could harm the broader football ecosystem. However, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, indicated that the United States might consider bidding to host the 2038 World Cup and could manage it if the tournament were expanded to 64 teams.
Expanding the World Cup presents logistical challenges for host nations. The 2026 tournament is being held across three countries in a large geographical area. The 2030 event will involve matches in six countries: Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The FIFA president’s initial manifesto when elected in 2016 included increasing the World Cup size from 32 to 40 teams, which then rose to 48 teams and was approved for the 2026 finals. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently underway from June 11 to July 19 in North America, with most matches in the USA, and some in Mexico and Canada.
The 2026 tournament features 48 teams divided into 12 groups, with 104 matches scheduled. The first semifinal is set for July 14 in Arlington, with the second semifinal on July 15 in Atlanta. The third-place match will be held on July 18 in Miami, and the final match will take place on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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Source: bbc.com
